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The House of Tramontae
House Tramontae is one of the four sorcerous houses which posesses the gift of magic remaining in Taelarys. It is divided into sub houses and minor bloodlines all descended or bonded to those of Tramontae blood. History The Battle of Ganen’s Fork In ancient times before Taelarys became the imperial power it is today the surrounding lands were split into hundreds of city states, clans, and small kingdoms constantly at war. Upon the rise of the first emperor Taelarys began to absorb those clans and cities closest to it under one banner which would one day span across the known world. For two centuries the city grew and its culture developed far beyond the surrounding lands until it had grown powerful enough to challenge the other territories. This was the birth of the imperial age of Taelarys. Her armies marched undefeated and unrelenting with all the power of the divine behind them, and the strength of the arcane woven into weapons of terrible power. Territory after territory fell its rulers crushed and its people taken into slavery by their new masters. For no mortal force could hope to stand against the divine, except for that of Ganen. To the north and east the vale Kingdom of Ganen was ruled by the barbaric sorcerer king Revon Ganenoth. They were old lands that had been controlled by magic since memory began. And as the armies of Taelarys marched into the vale they once again crushed any that stood before them. Only legends say that the land itself fought against them with root and stone as if to thwart their path. And everywhere they went they found the crops and fields sabotaged by the peasants fleeing from their homes. At a fork in the river Castle Rone rose out of the earth held together by ancient enchantments and the stubborness of its people. For months the armies laid siege but as they waited the river began to run slower and slower till naught but a trickle remained leaving the armies in a barren and unforgiving land. Supplies from Taelarys could reach them but the cost was high and the situation had changed. With a host made up of too many victories the generals of Taelarys attacked. As they moved upon the castle strange shapes seemed to appear out of the stone. Twisted things made more of hatred and loathing than matter which tore screaming across the field of battle. For three weeks the battle raged on until finally the field of the dead grew quiet but for the gossiping of carrion. And Revon Ganenoth stood upon his walls head held high defiant against his enemies. Two days later a black line appeared on the horizon, which quickly became the armies of the emperor himself. Rather than crush the minor kingdom once and for all however, the emperor offered King Revon a choice: to be given his people’s freedom and ownership over all that was currently his as well as the surrounding lands if he were to join the empire and serve the will of the divine. Lord Revon ir Tramontae first Arch Magister of house Tramontae accepted. The Children of Revon Lord Revon had many children by many different means. His first trueborn children were born of his wife the Demon Queen Selinora, who he wed as part of his pact with the nether realms. There were five of them: Kallos, Lymordun, Daemora, Rosana and Calferros. His second trueborn children were born of his second wife Princess Niara twelfth daughter of the Emperor himself, whom he wed as part of his pact with the empire of Taelarys. There were six of them: Hyperion, Damethon, Serevis, Julius, Niala and Semna. His third trueborn children were born of Carina Sytura a southern sorceress he had defeated only to fall for. There were three of them: Ganos, Belleron and Feranos. Of his illegitimate children few played a great role, and fewer still are remembered. Of particular note is Moriana ir Tramontae whose mother was a peasant of Ganen. Over the course of his life Revon would mourn the passing of Julius and Damethon ir Tramontae, who died fighting during the war, and Semna ir Tramontae who died at the age of seven to illness. The Illusions of Liars All of Revon’s children carried the gift of magic, and many rivaled their father in mastery over their power. The demonic talent, allure, and savage power of his elder children matched by the refined strength of those younger. The rivalry between themselves was greater still, but kept in line by loyalty to the house. All of this changed upon his death. Split by rivalry and resentment the house of Tramontae became divided as each brother fought to establish themself as the true heir. The exceptions were Serevis who backed Hyperion’s claim, Belleron who remained neutral, and Feranos who was still too young to become involved. Still the children of Revon remained as one and even continued to fight for the glory of the empire, but each slept uneasily as paranoia and cold rage began to fester. It was then that Belleron appeared to Lymordun, Daemora, Calferros, Hyperion, Severis and Ganos each in secret, and swore his support to their cause. Why he avoided Kallos can only be guessed but one can assume he feared lest his plot be revealed. It was with little words and whispered warnings of caution that he set the brothers against one another, fanning the flames until finally the bonds began to burn. Within two months blood was spilled. Calferros lashed out against Daemora in a desperate act of a man who truly believes his survival depends upon the end of another. When the smoke cleared his corpse lay slumped against the ground the grass stained red with blood and burned to ash from magic, and Daemora ir Tramontae had forever earned the name of kinslayer. From here one could guess that tension held so long back would have ended the children of Revon in a bloody game of dominos had Serevis not discovered Belleron’s treachery. Never trusting of his southern sibling’s silver tongue or his supposed support of Hyperion Severis had watched Belleron for months without proof or action. But using his mastery of the darker arts Serevis summoned back Calferros’ spirit from the dead and through him the bitter tale spewed forth. United against the deciever the living sons of Revon ir Tramontae gathered and banished Belleron to the Nether realms for all eternity. This was the first act of the court of magisters. The Seven Sons It is said that the seven sons of Revon were both the most terrible and the most powerful of all Tramontae’s magister courts to follow them. Where Revon had been a fist of the empire the seven sons were a sword against which no armor could defend. And it was said that each had made a pact with the nether in exchange for limitless power. Kallos the conqueror, destroyer of nations, and death to those who dared to irritate him by their existence swore his soul to the promises of pride. It is said that those of weak will would lose consciousness and then die if forced to remain in his presence and that no lie could be uttered to him without revealing itself to be false. Lymordun the irrisistable, lover of women and chaser of desire gave in to the enchatments of lust. It was said that none could resist his charms, that his smile could melt the coldest heart, and that his tears evoked such pain as to shatter the souls of those who looked on. Daemora the kinslayer, orphan maker and master of arts too twisted for the minds of other men traded his humanity for the bliss of wrath. It is said that death was his closest friend and lover and that he knew a different spell to kill, torture, and maim for each hair on his body. Hyperion the all consuming, favorite of the gods and cursed by their love. Once a prideful and powerful man beloved by gods and mortals alike. It is said that he was permitted to visit the gardens of the gods. Bested by his curiosity he tasted the fruit of the immortals and was so consumed by the ecstasy of taste that no mortal flavor could match. Maddened by his longing he searched in vain for a way to obtain such joy again and turned to the comfort of gluttony. It is said that he could consume the lifeforce of other beings to fuel his strength and extend his youth. Severis the jealous, master of secrets followed the easy path of envy until little remained but that which resented others for their happiness and pain in equal measure. It was said that he could walk between the lines of the world and vanish from all senses with the blink of an eye, and that his envy extended even to those now dead. Ganos the avaricious, taker of all that he desired and maker of wishes took the greed in mortal hearts. It is said that all that he desired would appear before him and that which could not would find another way to get there. Feranos the dreamer, youngest of the seven and lord of the dream realms fell into the temptations of sloth. It is said that his dreams shaped the future of the world and that despite seeming the weakest of his kin held greater power than them all but was simply too lazy to use them. The Three Sisters One by one the seven brothers of house Tramontae fell more and more into the trappings of sin until the house fell once more divided by rivalries fueled on fear and resentment. One by one the seven brothers were destroyed by their sins until none remained and the house lay broken and divided for fifteen years. And so the house of Tramontae would have ended if it were not for Moriana, illegitimate daughter of Revon and witch of the Gannen hills. Together with Rosana and Niala the last remaining children of Revon they united the children and illegitimate children remaining of both their father and their brothers lines and renewed the house Tramontae. Moriana became the second archmagister of house Tramontae and it is from this bond that the house continues even today. The descendants of the brothers formed smaller houses within Tramontae in memory of the seven sons, and each would put forth a magister to represent them before Moriana. The main house of Revon was far larger than that of all but Lymordun to which it still exceeded and Hyperion which rested just below Lymordun in numbers. While Moriana is known as the unifier, Rosana became known as the discoverer. For her exploration into the nature of magic would expand the house beyond the savage magics of its forefathers and into a new era less dominated by war. Niala is known as the healer for it was she who repaired the scars left by the seven and reestablished Tramontae as a power within the empire. The Minor Houses So it was that the eight branches of Tramontae were established. Over the years five more branches would appear forming the court of thirteen seen today, and many more houses would be absorbed into these branches. None of the three witches ever had children of their own, but those recognized by the courts to have saved the house from destruction, having greatly increased its standing, or having discovered new paths of magic are declared children of the three, and their second name is changed to that of Moriana, Niala, or Rosana depending upon the deed for which they were given the title.